Horse-collar fastener



(No Model.) M.T'.BURKE.

HORSEGOLLAR FASTENER. No. 528,143. Patented Oct. 30, I894.

MW 3 A UNITED STATES PAT NT OFFIcE.

MELANOTHON T. BURKE, OF LA CROSSE, WISCONSIN.

HORSE-COLLAR FASTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 528,143, dated October 30, 1894.

Application filed November 1'7, 1 893- Serial No. 491,217. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MELANCTHON T. BURKE, of La Crosse, in the county of La Crosse and State of Wisconsin,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Horse-Collars; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a partof this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to improvements in devices for securing together the ends of a horse collar, and is more especially, though not exclusively, adapted for use in connection with those collars which open at the bottom.

The objects of the invention are to provide a cheap, simple and strong fastening device capable of being quickly opened and closed by rough or inexperienced persons, and which when closed will form a secure union between the parts, to which end, the invention consists in certain novel details of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts all as will be now described and pointed out par ticularly in the appended claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings: Figure l is a perspective View of the lower portion of a collar having my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a similar View with the ends of the collar separated. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the two parts of the fastening device proper,before being applied to the collar. Fig. 4 is a similar view of the cap pieces preferably employed for closing the ends of the collar.

Similar letters of reference in the several figures indicate the same parts.

The letter A indicates the two halves or shoulder pads of the collar, separated at the lower side, as is usual in a large class of collars now in common use, and B indicates cap pieces for closingthe ends to prevent the escape of the stuffing and to retain the ends of the collar rigidly in shape. I prefer to form these cap pieces of metal with sockets of proper shape for receiving the ends of the collar, and with tapering arms or extensions 0 which fit on the inside of the collar in the depression between the fore Wale and shoulder pads and serve to retain the ends of the rivets which hold the fastening devices and cap piece in place, as will presently appear.

The body portions D, of each of the fastening pieces proper, are preferably of substantially the same shape, that is to say approximately V-shape or properly curved to fit in the depression between the fore wale and shoulder pad, on the outside, and are provided with integral rivets or pins cl d, which are adapted to be driven through the collar, and through apertures in the arms 0 of the cap pieces, being then upset or riveted to retain both parts rigidly in position.

The body portions D of the fastening devices proper are usually tapered so as to present a symmetrical appearance and to interfore as little as possible with the application of the hames and other partsof the harness.

. The larger ends of the body portions of the fastening pieces proper, come about flush with the faces of the cap pieces and upon the end of one of said body portions, aforward extension or lip E is formed, having an opening e formed therein, preferably elongated trans versely of the collar and adapted for the reception of a projection or lug F on the co-operating end of the other half of the fastening device. This latter projection or lug, extends downwardly and when the two parts are brought together, the end of the lug and the lower surface of the extension lie substantially flush.

Upon the end of the body portion having the lug thereon,there is also formed a loop G which extends fromthe corners of said body portion downwardly and across below the end of the lug, said loop being preferably also located slightly forward of the lug and is provided at one end with a depression g in which an eye H may hang for the reception of a poleor martingale strap.

In assembling the parts now, the extension E is passed through the loop G, there being just suflicient room between the loop and lug for its passage, and caught over the lug, as

larly strong, for in order to become unfastened, it would be necessary to exert sufficient force to crush the strap, and before this could happen, the strain would probably be so great as to entirely destroy the collar. There are no delicate parts to become injured by rough handling, and what is of equally great importance, the device can be fastened and unfastened with great rapidity and ease even by the most unskilled person and when fastened there is little or no danger of the ends becoming separated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- In a fastening for the separable ends of a horse collar, the combination with the metallic cap pieces for receiving said ends having the tapered extensions fitting in the groove between the forewale and shoulder pads, of the cooperating fastening devices I), D, the

which the forwardly extending lip of the cooperating member fits, said locking parts having tapered body portions fitting in the groove between the forewale and shoulder pads on the outside and having the rivets integral therewith passing through apertures in the extensions of the cap pieces, the ends of said rivets being upset to retain the parts in place; substantially as described.

MELANOTHON T. BURKE. 

